Monster Monday; The Unicorn

As a larper, I love the world of fantasy and all of it’s creatures. My favourite creature of all, though, is the unicorn. Which is why I’ve chosen unicorns as my first creature for Monster Mondays. Every Monday, I will be sharing a new monster (and doodle!) as part of a new series.

“Well, now that we have seen each other,” said the unicorn, “if you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you.” - Lewis Carrol (Through the Looking Glass)

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been obsessed with unicorns. Their shimmery manes, horse-like nature and symbolism for good has enchanted me since childhood. I grew up watching The Last Unicorn, playing with My Little Ponies and collecting glittery unicorn stickers.

As a teenager, I became obsessed with Medieval and Renaissance paintings of unicorns, and even visited Scotland last year where the unicorn is the national animal.

Often depicted with a goat’s beard, cloven hooves and a long pointed horn spiralling from its forehead, the unicorn is a symbol of purity. It is said that unicorns can cure the sick and heal the wounded, as well as ward away evil and darkness. Perhaps this is why they have been popular for nearly 3,000 years. From Scotland to Jesus Christ, the LGBQT community and even Silicon Valley, the unicorn has been used to symbolise the rare and highly valued.

“That is exactly what heroes are for. Wizards make no difference, so they say that nothing does, but heroes are meant to die for unicorns.”- The Last Unicorn

Powerful forest lords, unicorns are said live in an enchanted forest that they protect with their magic. All creatures in their domain are safe from evil, knowing nothing but peace and tranquility. It is said that a unicorn can only be tamed by a pure maid, and that they sleep on hills full of butterflies or in misty glens.

Lauren Metzler aka Larp Lady is a Designer/Illustrator for Australian Radio Network.
She enjoys reading graphic novels, playing dnd, drawing comics about her adventures, and Battlestar Galactica. She’s a professional nerd, dnd player, and LARP enthusiast.
Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.